Hello
by Al Bhed- Pypa
Summary: Not Pairing,Character death, song fic, Sakura tries to understand Ino is dying, but is not able too, there was so much time to make up for, so many appologies to be made.


**AN/ ok…so I have this growing list of people I have killed off in one shots (two complete teams, plus three others…)) but I never thought I would kill Ino…she is my fave character (along with Shika, Kiba and Asuma) but I did it, and nearly cried…enjoy!!**

**xOxOxOx**

**Playground school bell rings again**

**Rain clouds come to play again**

In a place with so much joy how can I have such feelings of dread… the academy swing I had spent so many years of my childhood here, swinging, begging to be pushed higher and higher as if I could disappear into the oblivion of the sky. But now, as I sit on this swing, alone, I watch the dark clouds of a storm brewing above me and I can't help but feel that something about this moment is trivial compared to what is about to come.

**Has no one told you she's not breathing?**

"Sakura!" I look up, it's Naruto. I smile but when he fails to return it I know something is wrong.

"Naruto, are you ok? What happened?" I say as I begin to rise to my feet.

"You might want to stay sitting" he says softly. I sit back down, my eyes never leaving his face… Searching for some clue of what is going on. I find none. He is acting so quiet… So serious, it's so unlike him.

"It's… Ino" he says, looking away. "Her mission… it…" he doesn't finish. But I wouldn't have listened to the rest. My hands tighten around the rope of the swing, they cut into my skin, but I don't even feel it. I rise to my feet. The hospital... I have to get there before…

I run. Run past Naruto, from the school, from my memories of good times. Again wishing I could go to oblivion and not have to face what is to come. As I leave the academy yard, I can hear the sobs begin to leave Naruto's throat behind me. But I'm not crying… She isn't going anywhere… She can't…

**Hello I am your mind giving you someone to talk to**

**Hello**

"_Sakura! If I am ever in the hospital…will you visit me?" _

Her question had startled me… it was out of nowhere.

"_Ino...?"_

"_Will you!" _

She was so harsh, so desperate, her eyes full of something I couldn't place a finger on at such a young age.

"_Yes, of course I will!"_

"_Good… I would hate to be in the hospital and be all alone."_

She won't be all alone… I am coming. I will visit her as she has for me. Bring her flowers and watch her get better… because she is going to get better, she has to. If anything were to happen to her… No, I won't think of that because everything is going to be ok… everything is going to fine. Right?

Who am I asking this to… there is no one but me…

I reach the hospital and go quietly to the desk and ask for the room number of Ino Yamanaka. The nurse gives me a look of pity, but I ignore it, it's meaningless... Right?

I head up the stairs that I have grown so familiar to. I climb them everyday, but now they seem so foreign. The hallways seem to stretch farther, twist more… and everything looks so distant, so cold.

**If I smile and don't believe**

**Soon I know I'll wake from this dream**

I turn the corner and stop. The benches outside the room are all full. I see team 10, or what's left, sitting quietly. I approach softly, but one looks up. I see tear streaks staining Chouji's cheeks. I nod to him and give him a sympathetic smile that he can't return.

I turn to Shikamaru, and am shaken to see not the composed boy I always knew, but one who has his head in his hands and is shaking slightly. It's unnerving, and I worry that my optimistic thoughts are slowly crashing down around me. I sit, and stare at the sign above the door. The red emergency light is lit. I look away. I know that only 40 of the time that light goes out with a survivor inside its doors.

**Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken**

**Hello I'm the lie living for you so you can hide**

**Don't cry**

I don't know how long I sit there, but it seems like eternity. I put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder, trying to put him at ease.

"It's ok… she's going to be ok." He pulls away immediately and turns on me. The tears running down his face are almost camouflaged by the anger filling his features.

"What are you saying? Okay!? Do you not know what's going on in there? She was hit in 5 vital spots. They aren't even thinking of saving her, but getting her stable. How can you sit here and tell me she is going to be ok? Are you broken inside or something Haruno? Ino is dying, she's dying… and there is nothing we can do… nothing." He collapses on the floor, sobbing into his knees. I stand slowly and back away.

"No… no" I mutter bringing my hands to my head.

"NO!" I scream. No one tells me to be silent, no one cares.

Suddenly the light goes off above the door. It opens and Shizune sticks her head out.

"Kids… I don't know how to ask you to do this… but it's time for you to come say your goodbyes."

**Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping**

As soon as I enter the room, it all hits me. The tubes, the wires, the needles. Everything. I have seen this scene so many times, but only with anonymous anbu. People I don't know, I don't care about. Never a friend.

She is lying so peacefully, it's like she's asleep. It's hard to believe there is a war raging inside her small frame.

Her father is sitting by her side, his hand grasping hers. I feel my heart go to him. The day Ino was born he lost his wife, and now he is loosing his only daughter. I stay back, and let Shikamaru and Chouji go to her first. Her eyes open as they approach, but they are such a dulled blue instead of their usual shine, and they are so distant, so unfocused. They are closer to her then I have been in these last few years. They take their time, each give her hand one last squeeze, her cheek one last kiss and I can hear Shikamaru whisper "be brave." in her ear before he finally lets himself part from her.

It's my turn now. I walk to her and kneel beside her bed so I can look her in the eye. I take her hand in mine and I can see her taking a little time to register what is in front of her.

"Sakura…" she manages to get out. "You… came"

"Of course I came," I say, holding back my tears. "Look Ino… I want you to know that I love you ok? Everything I ever said to you had no meaning; you will always be with me." I tell her.

"I know Sakura… I… care about you to..." I squeeze her hand. There is so much I want to apologize for. So much lost time that needs to be made up for, but there is no time. My best friend is being torn from me. I finally let the tears pour down my face.

"Don't cry Sakura…" she says, and I wipe my eyes but it is no use.

"I want you to know…." She begins and breaks to breathe deeply through her oxygen tubes, I can tell she is straining. "Don't hide, like a ghost…you're too cute for that. Live proudly… for me and you. Be happy… be proud." She says and closes her eyes. I know that was all the time I had.

That was it. I squeeze her hand tight, and I also kiss her cheek.

"Goodbye Ino," It's so damn hard to pull my hand away from hers. When I turn to walk from the room I can't. I can't leave. I can't go knowing that I will never see her again. I can't go. I can't! This isn't fair; I want to see her again. The tears come faster. I can't go, this can't be the end. Tsunade can see this from across the room and comes over; taking my hand, she begins to lead me from the room. My sobs are uncontrollable

"No, no! Ino! Ino, no!" I cry uncontrollably. I know I'm in hysterics, but I can't help it "Ino…" I say as sobs pour from my mouth. Tsunade finally gets me to my feet and leads me out, coaxing me softly. The last thing I hear is Inochi whispering to his daughter as he stroked her hair, crying silently.

"Ok princess, time for bed, have a good rest…"

**Hello I'm still here **

**All that's left of yesterday**

**xOxOxOx**

**AN/ well there you go… hope you liked, please review if you did!**


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